<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Bella Belle by Literal_Multifandom_Trashcan</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29719788">Bella Belle</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Literal_Multifandom_Trashcan/pseuds/Literal_Multifandom_Trashcan'>Literal_Multifandom_Trashcan</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Minecraft (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>A fix-it fic, Creeper Hybrid Sam | Awesamdude, Enderman Hybrid Ranboo (Video Blogging RPF), Found Family, Grayson | Purpled Needs a Hug, Hurt TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Protective Cara | CaptainPuffy, Protective Ranboo (Video Blogging RPF), Ranboo Needs a Hug (Video Blogging RPF), Scared TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Sheep Hybrid Cara | CaptainPuffy, They all need hugs, Toby Smith | Tubbo Needs a Hug, TommyInnit Angst (Video Blogging RPF), TommyInnit Needs a Hug (Video Blogging RPF), Warden Sam | Awesamdude, c!dream is a bitch, if you ship anyone here please leave, no shipping anywhere, why isnt that a tag</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 18:48:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,311</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29719788</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Literal_Multifandom_Trashcan/pseuds/Literal_Multifandom_Trashcan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Lets recap. This is a meeting between the minor miners! What are we here to do?” Tubbo exclaimed enthusiastically, attempting to keep the good mood up. </p><p>Ranboo simply sighed, letting out a distinctly enderman sounding noise. </p><p>“Get Tommy away from the prison, which he is now trapped in.” </p><p>or<br/>A group of minors, sitting at a table. What will they do? Plan to save their friend from prison, apparently. </p><p>(this is about the characters the cc's play--ofc if any cc's say they are uncomfortable with this work or works similar to these i will take this down)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>ALL PLATONIC, None</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>234</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Bella Belle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>ok so i was going to make this a oneshot but then realized i hit 7k words and havent even gotten to the actual climax of the story so uhm,,,,twoshot it is!!!! might take a while for the second chapter to be put up because mental health is a little bitch :DD hope u enjoy!!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <span>Guilt sat heavy in Tubbo’s throat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The emotion wasn’t particularly new to him. It weighed like a familiar friend, it’s chilling embrace weakening his bones and siphoning his truth’s word by word. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He should have been more responsible. The past hour had been spent berating himself, hands shaking and head pounding with regret. He didn’t mean for the nuke to travel all the way to the Badlands-he really didn’t. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Normally, Jack was the one who monitored distance and angles. Tubbo was the one responsible for the technological aspect. For some reason, though, Jack hadn’t been around Snowchester. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man had been spending a bizarre amount of time in L’manburg (or what was left of it). And...Tubbo sort of understood, but still. It stung, a little bit. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snowchester was thiers-him and Jack had built it up from nothing. And yet it felt like he was the only one who cared about the place. Foolish was there on occasion, but that was different. Foolish didn’t spend hours in the cold biting wind building up a village. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He supposed he should be used to the sting of loneliness. The dissapointment of abandonment was a feeling that Tubbo knew well. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It didn’t make it hurt any less.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Still, though. It didn’t matter that Jack hadn’t been here, Tubbo should have been more responsible. Because of his mistake, the boom from the explosions had hit the Badlands, likely causing some sort of panic. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He could only hope that his mistake hadn’t affected anyone. From what he knew, most of the people who had previously resided in the Badlands were currently in the leftovers of L’manburg. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bad and Ant were in the egg’s lair-Tubbo had gone there only once, and he didn’t exactly want to go again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sam was...somewhere. The man had spent most of his time in either the prison or at the construction site of Tommy’s hotel, programming Sam Nook. Tubbo hadn’t interacted with the man too often, but from the interactions he did have, Sam seeded trustworthy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The only person left on the list of Badlands residency was Skeppy, and no one knew where he was. Tubbo wasn’t too worried though, the man mainly lived off the grounds of the server anyways. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Despite the intimate knowledge of the residents of the Badlands, Tubbo couldn’t stop the worry from climbing up his throat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Explosions could do a lot of damage-of all people, Tubbo knew this fact best. Even just the sounds could do so much. Omniscient ringing that almost never seemed to go away, pounding through your head and thoughts like sharp lightning, almost always there-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Exhaling, Tubbo shoved his hands tightly into his coat pockets. It was fine, he was fine. He couldn’t afford to be anything else. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He figured there would be no harm in going to the area, just to check. Shoving the fear back down his throat, Tubbo grabbed some supplies from his house before making his way out of Snowchester. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The place would be fine on its own for a few hours. Plus, all extremely valuable things were safely hidden and camolfauged. The nuke room was rigged with traps and alarms. Tubbo was sure of the security, because he had set up the system himself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He didn’t have to worry too much, he supposed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s not like anyone visited, anyways. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Trekking through the snow, Tubbo clutched onto his bag tightly. He wouldn’t need too many supplies-just some food and a change of clothes, plus his sword. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After what felt like hours, Tubbo arrived in front of the purple portal that led to the nether. Breathing slowly, Tubbo gave one last look around before stepping into the hellish realm, tensing up to brace for the inevitable wave of heat that would follow. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Waves upon waves of uncomfortably agonizing heat crashed over Tubbo. Despite how familiar the feeling was, the feeling of nausea that came with travelling through the nether would never go away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He chalked it up to the annoying mobs and left it at that. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s not like it could have anything to do with staring at Tommy’s ‘screaming station’ from exile, or looking at the pitiful sad signs the boy had placed. It’s not like it could have anything to do with the crushing self-hatred that rushed over him when he saw Tommy’s thin wooden path over the chasm of lava. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No, of course not. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shifting from one foot to another, Tubbo slowly inched across the messy expanse of wood and cobblestone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Time always felt longer in the nether. He hated it. There was nothing there to keep him company as he traversed through the treacherous realm, heat pricking at his face and searing his skin. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The only company Tubbo had, he supposed, were his own thoughts. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After thinking for a few minutes, Tubbo realized their company was pretty shit. He didn’t want to think about all of the possible injuries people could have, all the past mistakes he had made. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Grinding his teeth together, Tubbo started humming some stupid song. It didn’t matter too much what it was, or whether he was humming it correctly. The feeling of sounds rushing through his vocal cords was enough to distract him from his surroundings. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It must have been hours before Tubbo arrived at the portal to L’mancrater. Him and Tommy were the ones who had come up with that name, and the memory brought a smile to Tubbo’s face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He hoped Tommy was doing alright. Last he checked, the boy was working on his new hotel. Tubbo originally didn’t take him for a businessman, but it honestly made sense. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He didn’t have too many thoughts about Tommy’s new career choice. He just hoped the boy never wore a suit. It reminded him too much of a horned president of now-blown up L’manburg. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Enough thinking for one day, Tubbo decided. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Staring at the entrancing portal before him, Tubbo only waited a few seconds before stepping through it. He didn’t want to stay in the nether longer than he had to.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a reason he had chosen to reside in Snowchester. Namely, well, the...snow. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Cracking his neck, Tubbo stepped onto the prime path. It seemed as though the egg had spread almost everywhere, which was a terrifying thought in itself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Glancing around, Tubbo started making his way towards the Badlands. He was quite lucky that the area was near the crater, already slightly weary from his nether travels. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He tried his best not to look too much at any of the surrounding buildings-or what was left of them. They brought up too many memories, too many feelings that clogged his throat and covered his eyes, leaving him in the darkness alone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The lack of people wasn’t surprising, but it felt odd all the same. He remembered when the lands had been booming with citizens, when they had scammed people with stupid businesses and fooled around. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He wished he didn’t remember. It would make this all so much easier. Tubbo wished this land was just...land. It wasn’t though, and it never would be. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shoulders heavy with the weight of long gone memories, Tubbo resigned himself to rest where he was. He, during his thinking, had mindlessly wandered over to the area right near Tommy’s new hotel. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Which would have been good, if it weren’t for the odd sign on the grounds of the hotel. Originally, the large metal sign had said “Big Innit Hotel”-of course named after Tommy himself. Now, though, the sign was replaced.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In it’s place was a significantly less cooler looking sign that said “Big Manifold Hotel” in scratchy lettering. Alarm filled Tubbo almost immediately. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Something was wrong. There was no way Tommy would give up ownership of the hotel. The way the boy talked about it was proof of that. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Part of the reason why Tubbo had been so happy for Tommy about the business was because of how </span>
  <em>
    <span>accomplished</span>
  </em>
  <span> his friend had sounded. For the first time in a long time Tubbo heard genuine happiness shine through his friends voice. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He would be damned if someone took that away from Tommy. The thought filled him with righteous anger, an emotion that Tubbo didn’t allow himself to feel often. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What made this sign even more confusing were the events that followed his notice of it. While he was staring at the sign in a mix of confusion and anger, he had noticed a green blur out of the corner of his eye. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Whipping his head to the side, Tubbo managed to catch what it was. It had been Sam who was running around. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What was Sam doing? Confused, Tubbo edged around the borders of the hotel’s construction site, walking up the stairs of the prime path, which led to an overview of the surrounding area. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Moving forwards a little more, Tubbo managed to get a better glimpse of the creeper hybrid. He seemed to be panicked, running faster than Tubbo thought possible towards the prison. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Huh. That was odd. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sam wasn’t really a guy that panicked. From what Tubbo had seen, the dude was pretty stoic a majority of the time. Friendly, but stoic. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Something was really, </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> wrong. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luckily, though, Tubbo knew someone who lived quite close to where he was perched. Someone who would know what was happening, and more importantly, someone who wouldn’t kill or harm Tubbo on sight. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Making his way back down the path, Tubbo walked a few paces before stepping off of the wood onto the grass. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Unbeknownst to most, there was a hidden overpass. It was behind a regular looking oak tree, but stepping through it led Tubbo down another set of stairs. At the bottom of the stairs was a quaint cottage. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hesitating, Tubbo tensed up before knocking on the wooden door. Almost immediately, it swung open to reveal Captain Puffy. The sheep hybrid seemed tense, but upon seeing Tubbo, didn’t immediately draw a weapon of some sort. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A win, in Tubbo’s book. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tubbo! What’s up?” Her voice brought a wave of calm over the boy. It was a nice feeling, although a little offputting. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hello Captain Puffy! I was just stopping by because of a little, uh, mishap earlier. See, I was on my way to check on the Badlands for undisclosed reasons, when I noticed Awesamdude running around. He seemed, um, panicked? Do you know anything about that?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Judging by her reaction, she knew a lot. Almost immediately, she straightened up, seemingly more tense than before. Her face looked grim, an expression Tubbo immediately decided he didn’t like seeing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Something had definitely happened. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Despite all of Tubbo’s senses telling him not to get involved, he couldn’t help but lean in closer. He supposed that was his flaw, after all. Even after all this time, even after all the pain, the wars, the destruction, he couldn’t help himself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I know about that. I just don’t know if...if it’s something you want to hear. I don’t want to get you involved, Tubbo. You’re a kid, no matter how many wars you’ve fought in or how thick your skin is. I…” Puffy sighed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tubbo frowned. He understood what Puffy was saying, and while he appreciated the sentiment, he really did want to know what was going on. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Curiosity itched at his mind, and eventually Tubbo gave in. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was time to bring out the big guns, he supposed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Looking right into Puffy’s eyes, Tubbo pouted, hitting her with the biggest puppy dog eyes he could muster. She stared at him for a moment, eventualy groaning and looking away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, thats not fair. Alright, I’ll tell you. But you have to promise not to get involved, okay?” Tubbo grinned in accomplishment, nodding vigorously. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I promise I will not get involved.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He hoped Puffy wouldn’t notice that he was lying right through his teeth. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It seemed like she didn’t, because she relaxed slightly at his promise.  And Tommy said he couldn’t lie. Score one for Tubbo.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Something...something happened near the prison. Tommy went to visit Dream for the last time-something about ‘closing the book’. And, uh, while he was visiting, explosions went off in the Badlands. Until Sam figures out whats wrong, Tommy is...well, Tommy is trapped in the main cell with Dream.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tubbo couldn’t breathe. Tommy was trapped with Dream. Tommy was trapped with Dream and there was a </span>
  <em>
    <span>slight</span>
  </em>
  <span> chance that it was all his fault. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dream. The man who manipulated Tommy. The man who almost killed Tubbo. </span>
</p><p> </p><p><span>Tommy, trapped, with Dream. In a cell, surrounded by lava. Claustrophobic Tommy, </span><em><span>trapped in a cell</span></em> <em><span>with Dream, surrounded by lava.</span></em></p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He couldn’t bring himself to care about Sam, to care about the wellbeing of the prison, to care about anything other than Tommy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tubbo didn’t realize he had been hyperventilating until Puffy gently tapped him on the shoulder, looking worried. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tubbo? Hey, breathe with me, yeah? Inhale, exhale. Just like that.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He managed to get his breathing under control after a few minutes, although he didn’t quite understand why they were wasting time on this when </span>
  <em>
    <span>Tommy was trapped in prison with fucking Dream.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, look at me Tubbo.” Hesitantly, the boy glanced at Puffy’s face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, okay? We have this under control. Sam will figure out whats going on, and Tommy will be out in a weeks time. I promise.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tubbo forced a weak smile onto his face, nodding. He tried his best to pretend he felt reassured. Tried to pretend that the air in his lungs wasn’t replacing itself with weights of self-loathing, dropping his stomach to his feet and clogging his throat with the bitter taste of unshed tears. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“T-Thanks for taking care of this, Puffy. Really, thank you. I promise I won’t get involved. Just...keep me updated, please?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She nodded at him, gently grasping his shoulder. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You got it, Tubbo. I hope your mishap gets resolved. See you around, yeah?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tubbo nodded. With the conversation finished, Tubbo turned around to make his way back to Snowchester. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If there was one thing he had learned, it was that the adults on this server were some of the most incompetent people Tubbo had ever met. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They had no clue how to resolve issues, arguing and deflecting with children directly in the crossfire. And as trustworthy as Captain Puffy and Sam seemed, there was no way in hell that Tubbo was entrusting them with Tommy’s safety. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Especially not when he knew he could do it better. Tubbo knew Tommy-knew his flaws and his strengths. Most of all, Tubbo knew how to keep Tommy </span>
  <em>
    <span>safe.</span>
  </em>
  <span> They knew how to keep eachother safe. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And that was why he had to rescue Tommy. Not alone, of course. Tubbo had a faint idea of who to recruit to help him out-not necessarily friends, but allies nonetheless. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Steps filled with determination, Tubbo straightened his back and held his head up high. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He might indirectly be the reason Tommy was trapped, but he would make damn sure that he was the reason Tommy escaped. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Even if it killed him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>--------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snowchester was as good a place as any to gather his thoughts. It was a little lonely, Tubbo supposed, sitting at a table all by himself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That was alright, though. He wasn’t going to be alone much longer. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He had a plan. It was a loose, poorly organized, extremely risky plan, but a plan nonetheless. Besides, organization never worked. If he made his plan too detailed, it would be difficult to account for sudden unpredictable changes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The first step of his hastily-thrown together plan was simple. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Find Ranboo. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Despite the boy’s shaky moral backbone, Ranboo was someone who Tubbo knew he could rely on. His stances were iffy and mostly unknown, but he valued inter-personal relationships. That was something Tubbo would always admire. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Last time he checked, him and Ranboo were on pretty good terms. Sometimes the boy would drop by Snowchester to greet Tubbo, grass block in hand. It was endearing, albeit a little awkward. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He didn’t quite know where the boy lived. After the events of doomsday, everyone had gone off in their own directions. There were a few people who Tubbo kept track of, but most of the time he saw people wandering around every now and then. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tubbo knew for sure that Ranboo didn’t live near L’mancrater. Him and Tommy had spent hours walking around the area searching for a good construction site, and not once did he catch site of a house for the hybrid. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ranboo had a residence in Snowchester-Tubbo had built it with him after the boy visited for the eleventh time. That definitely wasn’t his main place of living though, considering how sparsely he stayed in it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That left...not many options. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Step one of his plan and he was already running into problems. It wouldn’t be a Tubbo plan if it wasn’t at least a little bit scuffed, he supposed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Drumming his fingers on the table, Tubbo sighed. There was one person on the server who Tubbo could think of who would know where Ranboo was staying. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Phil. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man seemed to keep track of everyone on the server. He was a little intimidating, and Tubbo wasn’t exactly fond of him considering the whole ‘helping blow up l’manburg’ thing, but he was out of options. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Setting his communicator onto the table, Tubbo stared at it. He didn’t understand why he was so nervous. It was fine. He was fine. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Slowly, Tubbo reached a hand out to pick it back up. His fingers trembled with the action, and his face flushed with embarrassment. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s just one message. No need to make a big deal out of nothing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tommy’s stuck in prison with Dream, and here you are shaking over sending one message on your communicator. Get over yourself. The more time you waste the longer Tommy is trapped.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>‘Hey phil, do you know where ranboo lives by any chance?’</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A shaky smile made its way onto Tubbo’s face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He did it, and he was fine. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The older man responded almost immediately, which was surprising to Tubbo. He supposed that Phil was technically in retirement, after all. The thought of sitting around all day made Tubbo angsty. He didn’t know how Phil and Techno did it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>‘Ranboo lives right next to me and Techno. I would invite you to visit, but I don’t think Techno would be too accepting of you on our land. Would you like me to send Ranboo your way?’ </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tubbo cringed at the mention of Technoblade. He hadn’t forgotten what the man had done-at the festival, on doomsday. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He didn’t bother trying to push down the fear that arose in his chest. Shrill ringing pounded its way through his ears, and Tubbo had to blink a few times to make the sound go away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>‘Yes please. Thanks phil.’ </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A bitter taste made its way onto his tongue. He was thanking Phil-Phil, the same person who blew up his home. The same person who blew up his country. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Exhaling slowly, Tubbo tried to calm himself down. Phil had his own set of issues and emotional burdens, and Tubbo was trying to learn how to respect that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was hard, but the ability was something many adults on the server lacked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tubbo wanted to be better than them. As he watched his country explode into dust, Tubbo resolved to prove himself. To prove that he was nothing like those that raised him. To prove that evil was not inherited, nor inevitable. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Abruptly, he stood up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Night was falling upon Snowchester, and Tubbo figured it would be good to have food prepared for Ranboo’s arrival. Phil didn’t specify when Ranboo would be arriving, but Tubbo couldn’t bring himself to ask. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rummaging through the pitifully stocked pantry, Tubbo grabbed the few perishables he had. He allowed himself to relax into the motions of cooking a meal, more than familiar with the process. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Step one had been taken care of. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Now, it was time to move on to step two. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Step two of his plan was arguably shaping up to be significantly harder than step one. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>See, when Tubbo had been creating his plan the recesses of his mind, he was forced to carefully consider his allies. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The list of people had been depressingly short, and he had to eliminate almost half of his options right away purely due to location alone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There came a point where Tubbo realized he would have to seek out people who he hadn’t talked with before. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That list was also relatively short, although it was significantly more intimidating. A majority of the people on the list were adults. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As a general rule of thumb, Tubbo tried to avoid adults on the server. There were only a few exceptions, and those were only considered exceptions after months of hesitant and tentative interactions. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Using this rule of thumb, Tubbo’s options were dropped down from slim to what seemed to be none. There was only one person that Tubbo could think of who might be willing to help. It was someone who Tubbo didn’t know very well, but he was nearby last Tubbo checked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Purpled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The kid was known for his intimidating kill streak on a popular server outside of the SMP. He was strong, and a bit of a local legend to say the least. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No one knew where his house was, except that it was near L’manburg. From what Tubbo had heard, he had some sort of relation to Punz. He didn’t know whether that was true or not though, considering it was only from word of mouth alone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Really, the only thing anyone knew about him was that he was young, and that if you got in his way, he would kill you before anyone could even blink. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tubbo had talked with him once. And from what he remembered, it was a one word conversation. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Purpled intimidated Tubbo. But, Tubbo needed Purpled’s help. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So Tubbo stayed awake, laying in bed. Ranboo was arriving that morning, he assumed, which left him a few hours to find and recruit Purpled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It seemed like it would be simple, if it weren’t for the fact that Tubbo had no idea how to get in touch with Purpled. He had started thinking about how to even approach a discussion with Purpled before realizing that he was skipping a step. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>How was he going to communicate with Purpled? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They had talked once, and Tubbo hadn’t had half a mind to ask him for his contact information. Despite what some may think, he didn’t have a death wish, thank you very much. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tubbo grabbed his communicator off of his bedside table. He figured there would be no harm in checking to see if, on the off-chance, he had somehow gotten Purpled’s contact. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Entering in the passcode, Tubbo felt slightly disheartened to see the lack of messages in his inbox. He supposed he shouldn’t be too surprised, considering the only person who would message him this late at night was trapped in prison. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A heavy pressure settled itself onto Tubbo’s shoulders. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What was he even doing? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wasting all of this time for a plan that probably wouldn’t even work. Tubbo was so fucking stupid for even thinking that he could save Tommy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was being too optimistic. Tubbo had gotten caught up in the need to save Tommy that he had forgotten who the boy was trapped with in the first place. He was trapped with </span>
  <em>
    <span>Dream,</span>
  </em>
  <span> of all people. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dream. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dream, who despite being locked away, somehow managed to maintain an iron tight grasp around the remainder of the server. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dream, who’s words wormed their way into your mind, circling your thoughts and twisting your brain around in dizzying circles.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dream, who was bound to a cell with Tommy for a full week. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tubbo didn’t know the full details of Tommy’s exile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He couldn’t even begin imagine every little word Dream whispered to Tommy, every little action that served as the boy’s only human contact. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The only things he knew about exile were the things that Tommy had told him-the hushed secrets whispered late at night. The grasp that Dream had over Tommy was terrifying to witness, and it was even more appaling to think about how Dream had managed to gain that grasp in the first place. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tubbo had exiled Tommy. Tubbo had exiled Tommy and sent him right into Dream’s calloused ossified hands. That was </span>
  <em>
    <span>his</span>
  </em>
  <span> fault, and it was far past time that Tubbo accept responsibility for it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The determined spark came back to Tubbo. So what if this stupid plan didn’t fucking work? Tubbo would think of another one, and try again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maybe he was being too optimistic, but someone fucking had to be. Everything was going to work out in the end, </span>
  <em>
    <span>especially</span>
  </em>
  <span> if Tubbo was involved. Tommy, Tubbo decided, was worth everything in the world. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With newfound resolve, Tubbo looked through his communicator. He didn’t know why Purpled would be there, but the chance, however small, was one Tubbo was willing to take. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He stumbled on the “P” contacts, focusing his vision and leaning in. Eyes wide in surprise, Tubbo couldn’t control the shock that climbed its way across his face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There it was. The name Purpled, in bold black letters on the screen. Well, Tubbo thought to himself, this felt really anti-climactic. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Don’t get him wrong, he was eternally thankful that he wouldn’t have to go on a goose-chase around the grounds of the SMP. He just thought that finding Purped would be a little cooler than...this. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sending a message was kind of cool, he supposed. He just thought it would be more of a challenge. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The lack of coolness didn’t take away the intimidation factor, which was pretty disappointing if Tubbo was honest with himself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His brain was stupid. Here he was prepared to storm the prison where </span>
  <em>
    <span>Dream</span>
  </em>
  <span> was being detained, and yet he was afraid to message Purpled, someone the same age as him. Ignoring his shaking hands, Tubbo pressed onto the contact. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was a relief to see that he had never messaged the boy before. Tubbo was known to stay up for hours on end, and sleep-deprived him tended to message random people </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> stupid things. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>One time he had been so tired that he had accidentally messaged Badboyhalo, of all people. Safe to say the next time they saw eachother was very, very awkward. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>‘hi purpled. idk if you remember me, but im tubbo from the smp! I was wondering if you could meet me at snowchester. Its very important.’ </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hesitating, Tubbo stared at the sent message a moment longer. Just in case, he decided it might be smart to sent another message with the coordinates of Snowchester. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Resting the communicator on his chest, Tubbo turned himself over in his sheets, staring at the wall. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Purpled likely wasn’t awake at this hour-not many people were. It was the middle of the night, and there were only a few people who really had a reason to be awake right now. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Still, Tubbo didn’t think he would be able to sleep. Not until the adrenaline was gone from his bloodstream. He had messaged Philza </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> Purpled in one day. God, he really was a madman. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He had thought Tommy had been exaggerating when he called Tubbo reckless. Turns out he was right on point. This whole plan screamed hasty and messy, but statistically it had the best success rate out of the other ones Tubbo had come up with. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Allowing himself to zone out, Tubbo felt his eyes slowly start to shut. He fought against the claws of unconsciousness just long enough to feel his communicator buzz against his chest. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was fucking Purpled. Tubbo added ‘never sleeps’ to the mental list that he was making of all of his knowledge about the ever elusive Purpled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>‘Hello. See you tomorrow.’</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Squinting, Tubbo reread the message multiple times. That was the most vague and ominous thing Tubbo had ever seen in his life. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>‘See you tomorrow’ was not a sentence Tubbo thought he would be intimidated by. And yet, here he was. What was with people on this server being so dramatic. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was surrounded by fuckin theater kids, Tubbo realized. Nerds. He was afraid of nerds. What had his life even come to at this point. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shutting off his communicator, Tubbo tossed it off his bed. He should probably care a little more about the device, but he was too tired to put any effort into thinking. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With step two taken care of, Tubbo could allow himself to rest easy. The morning was a problem for future-Tubbo. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Right now, the only thing on Tubbo’s mind was sleep. He allowed himself to succumb to the waves of exhaustion taking over his mind. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For the first time in a long time, Tubbo feel asleep with a hope-fiilled heart. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Tubbo woke up in the morning, he definitely didn’t expect to see an extremely tall enderman-hybrid standing at the foot of his bed. The boy was simply staring at him, head tilted in interest. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yeah, definitely not what Tubbo was expecting to be woken up to. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In fact, the sight was so unexpected that Tubbo screamed and jumped up upon noticing the person standing at his bed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ranboo immediately rushed over to him, apologies tumbling out of his mouth. Once Tubbo caught his breath, he simply waved off the onslaught of mumbling coming his way. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry about it, big man. Nice to see you, by the way. Just maybe give me a little more of a warning next time, yeah?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Nodding, Ranboo hesitantly procured a grass block from his backpack, holding it out to Tubbo as some sort of repentance. Grinning, Tubbo pointed over to the corner of his room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tubbo had made it a tradition to put at least one of Ranboo’s gift blocks in every room in his house. Ranboo placed the block down gently, almost afraid to break it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once the block was placed, Tubbo shooed Ranboo out of his room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I still have to change, you know. Feel free to grab a drink or something, you know how it is. What’s mine is yours, unless its anything valuable.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ranboo let out a laugh at Tubbo’s slogan, jerkily waving and leaving the room. Tubbo hastily made himself presentable, attempting to comb his eternally messy hair. It didn’t work, and after a few minutes Tubbo gave up, resolving himself to eternal bed-head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leaving his room significantly more awake than a few minutes ago, Tubbo walked into the kitchen. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ranboo was sitting at the small wooden table, glass of milk sitting in front of him. He perked up once he noticed Tubbo enter the room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, uh, why did you need me to come to Snowchester?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tubbo sighed, mood turning somber. Pulling out a chair, he took a seat in front of Ranboo, who looked significantly more confused at the action. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t really want to tell you until the other person I invited gets here. That way I only have to explain it once.” Blinking, Ranboo tilted his head in confusion. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who else did you invite?” Tubbo laughed nervously, bringing his hand up to rub at the back of his neck. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“About that...are you familiar with the name Purpled?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The room was filled with silence. Tubbo shifted his weight from foot to foot until Ranboo slowly turned to look up at him, eyes squinted in an almost-glare. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you serious. You’re telling me you invited Purpled. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Purpled.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Is this-are you joking?” A nervous giggle escaped Tubbo as he bared the weight of Ranboo’s continuous staring. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Did I, uh, did I not mention that?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ranboo scowled into his glass of milk, shrugging off Tubbo. It was obvious he was trying very hard to look angry, but all he was doing was making Tubbo laugh. An enderman hybrid attempting to look angry while drinking a glass of milk. It sounded like the start of a bad joke, honestly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two sat in silence for a little bit. The only sounds that occasionally filled the room were Tubbo shuffling around grabbing breakfast, with Ranboo watching him in dull interest. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A warning would have been nice, you know.” Ranboo grumbled, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair. Tubbo just rolled his eyes, walking over and gently shoving Ranboo’s shoulder.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not even sure Purpled will show up, to be honest.” Tubbo mumbled, face slightly flushed with embarrassment. He really hoped Purpled did show up, because he wasn’t sure him and Ranboo alone would be able to rescue Tommy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With almost comedic timing, the sound of knocking rung through Tubbo’s house. The boy glanced at Ranboo with a grin, sprinting over to his front door. Ranboo quickly followed, stumbling a little. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Slowly, Tubbo brought his hand up to the door knob. There was another knock, and Ranboo glanced at Tubbo nervously. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He swung open the door.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lo and behold, a boy with a purple hoodie stood behind it, sword strapped tightly to his waist. His expression was dry, tinged with a slight layer of annoyance. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, you going to let me inside?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It took a few minutes for them to get adjusted, but eventually the three had gathered at Tubbo’s small dining table.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ranboo had yet another glass of milk in front of him, for some reason, and Purpled had stolen a protein bar from Tubbo’s countertop. As Tubbo took his seat at the head of the table, both boys looked up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hello. I’m sure you’re both wondering why I’ve asked both of you to come to my humble abode. Erm, just-just please promise you’ll hear me out before leaving immediately?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tubbo’s voice wavered towards the end of his sentence, words floating up into the air. Purpled raised his eyebrows in criticism while Ranboo simply sighed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh boy, this doesn’t sound good already.” The hybrid muttered. Purpled snickered, quickly schooling his expression. Tubbo glared at the both of them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oi! This is actually important, seriously. Have either of you been caught up on the recent events on the SMP? Like-yesterdays events?” Both boys straightened up, glancing at eachother. They shook their heads, leaning forwards. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know Dream was put away in prison, and L’manburg is now a huge hole in the ground, but what happened yesterday?” Purpled asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A nervous smile crossed Tubbo’s face. Almost immediately, the conversation Tubbo had started became much more daunting to finish. He figured his time as president should have prepared him for situations like this, but it </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> didn’t. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Uh, about the whole prison thing. My friend TommyInnit-you know him? He’s sort of, well, trapped in the prison with Dream.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ranboo seemed to be the first one to understand the severity of the situation. The boy had visited Tommy in exile, after all, so Tubbo figured he had an inkling on why being stuck with Dream was such a bad thing, especially for Tommy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thats-thats not good. Jeez, that’s seriously horrible.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tubbo nodded. Purpled looked confused.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hold on, I’m lost. So Tommy is trapped in prison with Dream-what does this have to do with us? I haven’t been around the Badlands in a while, but can’t Awesamdude just...get Tommy out?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Huh, that is a good point, actually.” Ranboo muttered. The two boys turned to Tubbo expectantly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, actually. There was a breach around the area, I think, and the prison was put on lockdown. Which means that no one can go in or out, including Tommy.” Tubbo explained patiently, staring at the two and hoping they would understand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“O..kay, still confused on what this has to do with me and oreo boy over there.” Purpled said, jerking his thumb over to point to Ranboo. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Awkward silence filled the air. Maybe if he stayed quiet for long enough, the two would telepathically realize what Tubbo wanted to do. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Tubbo.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Ranboo drawled, disappointment crossing his face. Tubbo just stared nervously, hesitantly smiling. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, Ranboo?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t tell me you’re planning what I think you’re planning.” The enderman hybrids voice dropped dangerously low, and all Tubbo could do was giggle skittishly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Depends on what you think I’m planning, big man.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think you’re planning to break Tommy out of prison, and you want us to help you.” Ranboo exclaimed, almost comically distressed at the idea. Purpled hummed to himself, glancing at Tubbo before glancing at the front door. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wow, big man, you are really good at guessing things. I would never want to play against you in any guessing game.” Ranboo just groaned at the confirmation, slumping over in his seat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tubbo, man, we seriously have to talk about your self-preservation instincts.” The words were said so quietly that Tubbo had to strain to hear them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re one to talk, Ranboo.” Tubbo scoffed, and Ranboo just rolled his eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I guess...it would make me feel a bit better if I was there to help. One of us has to make sure you don’t go recklessly barging in or something. It’s just that I’m not allowed near the prison.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ranboo’s voice took on a more depressing tone, teetering into the realm of self-loathing. Tubbo swallowed, unsure of whether or not he wanted to breach the topic. He knew the other had issues with his memory, but he wasn’t too sure of the extent. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Purpled took the silence that stretched over the room as a chance to step in. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t mean to interrupt the moment or whatever, but newsflash, I’m not exactly friends with Tommy. I’ve never even talked to him, just seen him around causing chaos. Basically, I’m willing to help, but what will I get out of it?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tubbo knew the question was going to come at one point or another. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The server they lived on was cruel and harsh, and you couldn’t exactly help someone out of the good of your heart. Plus, Tubbo knew he was asking a lot of Purpled and Ranboo. It was a high risk plan, after all. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You would get, uh, friendship?” He offered feebly. Before Tubbo could attempt to climb out of the whole he had dug for himself, Ranboo interjected. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have three stacks of diamond blocks, seven totems of undying, and like twelve netherite ingots. So, uhm, name your price. I mean-in reason, obviously, if you ask for twenty diamond blocks I’m going to say no.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tubbo gaped at Ranboo. He was </span>
  <em>
    <span>rich.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Like, rich rich. The fucker had been freeloading off of Tubbo everytime he visited! He had been scammed. Horrible. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fuckin-holy shit, I’ll help. Dude, you’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>stacked</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ranboo looked away bashfully, face flushed. Tubbo clapped his hands in accomplishment, bringing everyones attention back to him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Cool! Thank you guys for coming and agreeing to help. Before I tell you about my plan, I thought you should know that I have given us an official group name. Because no group is complete without a cool name.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Purpled groaned in a combination of pain and embarrassment. Ranboo shushed him, motioning for Tubbo to continue. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We are the minor miners! No-hold on guys, don’t leave please, I haven’t even gotten to the actual plan part. Guys please.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Begrudgingly, the two sat back down. Their expressions resembled suffering children forced to sit through a bad movie. Good. Suffering meant Tubbo was doing something right. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, here’s the plan. I’m assuming you both know how the prison works, yeah?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two nodded in confirmation. Mostly everyone on the SMP had, at minimum, a foundational knowledge of the workings of the prison. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“From the outside, the prison is basically indestructable. Our best way in would be through the main entrance. There are a few issues with that though. For one, Sam is the warden of the prison, and controls who goes in and out. And as I said before, the prison is on lockdown, which means that we can’t exactly just walk in.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tubbo paused in his speech, taking a deep breath. He tried to ignore the swell of anxiety that rose in his throat, actively choosing to overlook the presence of Ranboo and Purpled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I was thinking we plan some sort of distraction. Not something horrible or anything, but something that requires Sam to leave just long enough for us to sneak in. Normally, we wouldn’t be able to get in without Sam there, but I may or may not have accidentally found a secret entrance.”  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The secret entrance Tubbo was talking about wasn’t exactly concealed very well-in fact, it was hidden in plain sight. The only reason why people hadn’t taken advantage of it was likely because of the numerous security systems set up to protect it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Purpled raised his hand, and Tubbo resisted the urge to laugh. It felt like they were in a classroom and Tubbo was a teacher. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He thought he would be continuously intimidated by Purpled, but in reality, the boy’s dry humor blended in well with the group. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Purpled?” Tubbo pointed at him, motioning for him to ask his question. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How do we get Tommy out without, you know, getting Dream out also?” A manic grin crossed Tubbo’s face, and he rubbed his hands together with gleeful anticipation. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I was hoping you would ask that. As you both hopefully know, there’s a moving bridge platform that takes the visitor away from the cell and back to the main area of the prison.” Ranboo and Purpled nodded, confusion painting their faces. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Obviously someone has to stay behind and operate the bridge-probably Ranboo. Me and Purpled would be the ones to actually grab Tommy onto the platform. Purpled, how do you feel about moving target practice?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Realization dawned on Purpled, his expression changing from confused to enthusiastic. Ranboo just frantically glanced between the two of them, bringing his hands up to his head in peril. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Am I the only sane person here? I think I might be, and thats </span>
  <em>
    <span>seriously</span>
  </em>
  <span> saying something. I do have to admit though, the idea of Purpled using Dream as target practice is pretty a-</span>
  <em>
    <span>move</span>
  </em>
  <span>-ing. Get it? Like amusing but a-move-ing because the platform is moving?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tubbo snorted, leaning over to high-five Ranboo. Purpled stared at the both of them, viscerally disgusted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please let me leave. I don’t want to be in this hell anymore.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ranboo pouted, looking properly dejected. Tubbo made a grand show of walking over and locking the front door, if only to spite Purpled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m so sorry, Purpled, but I’m afraid I can’t allow you to do that.” The purple-hoodie clad boy simply groaned, hitting his forehead against the table. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tubbo ignored him. Part of him enjoyed fooling around, enjoyed the respite from the anxiousness and seriousness. But another, much larger part of him screamed with guilt. Here they were fooling around while his </span>
  <em>
    <span>best friend</span>
  </em>
  <span> was trapped in prison with his abuser. The more hours spent joking around, the more hours Tommy was forced to suffer. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lets recap. This is a meeting between the minor miners! What are we here to do?” Tubbo exclaimed enthusiastically, attempting to keep the good mood up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ranboo simply sighed, letting out a distinctly enderman sounding noise. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Get Tommy away from the prison, which he is now trapped in.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tubbo nodded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Exactly. Dream is a bitch, and the adults on this server are really shitty at treating us children like real people, so its up to us. Any questions?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Purpled raised his eyebrows. “Yeah. Why the fuck are we called the miners when none of us mine things.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wh-I mine things!” Ranboo frowned, glaring at Purpled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tubbo nodded sagely. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ranboo mines things, therefore, minor miners.” Purpled just shook his head exasepratedly. He didn’t know why he had decided to come and help, especially considering he barely knew these people. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fuckin-whatever. Lets go rescue TommyInnit, I guess.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Grinning, Tubbo pat him on the back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s the spirit big guy!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was time for step three of the plan. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>